Sending you an email. ;)

Janice my containers all sit on landscape pavers - pure concrete. I had two Cats Eyes in two different locations - one in a barrel and one in a small hypertufa pot. Both are MIA and had been growing for 3 and 5 years in their location. I blame it on the early cold in December, warm January, cold February, very warm March and then a week of 20 degree weather in April. I have a feeling they would do the start, stop growing pattern and they were too weak after the last blast. Not to be deterred, I have two replacements waiting to be planted. The Japanese maple loss hurt the old pocketbook and I have sworn off them. It is not fun to replace trees that cost $300-$400. I have lived in this house for 30 years and have two JM's that were here when I moved in. The leaves all looked like brown yarn hanging on them and one of them is just now starting to get leaves again. I have 3 old Gingkos that have yet to put out a new leaf. My other trees have replaced their leaves but they will all be small and I will have more sun on my shade garden. I even lost ferns I've had for several years. About 3 days before the big freeze in April, I moved a specimen size Guacamole to a barrel. It was fully leafed out. Of course it turned to mush and I was so worried it would be history with the root disturbance but it is up and growing, albeit small leaved. Not a good year in the shade garden areas and no pics will be taken. I will just look at last years pics and hope next year is better.

Beautiful picture. So glad you shared it. Shakespeare did. He said something similar in his play, Venus and Adonis. âÂÂLike a red morn that ever yet betokened, Wreck to the seaman, tempest to the field, Sorrow to the shepherds, woe unto the birds, Gusts and foul flaws to herdmen and to herds.âÂÂ

The biggest problem with big box stores and chains, is that their hostas are often mis-labeled, and have been known to carry HVX. That is why many of us here on the hosta forum recommend dealing with hosta sellers that specialize in hostas and can assure us of precautions to prevent the spread of HVX. I have tried to explain that you don't get multiple "crowns", but a division that has a crown with multiple shoots. It helps if we are all speaking with the similar terms. We all have succumbed to the big box treats, but please keep them isolated for a few years to be sure they are not infected to protect your garden. It remains latent in some hostas for several years so you cannot always see it right away. Just a precautionary note. Happy hosta growing!! -Babka